Four Ga. officers face felony charges

Four DeKalb County law enforcement officers were indicted Monday on charges ranging from smuggling drugs into the county jail to lying in a police report.

Two county police officers, a Doraville officer and a county sheriff's deputy were named in the indictments. All face felony charges.

"It is unfortunate that there are a few bad apples in the bunch, but it is important to note that in many instances the departments identified and investigated the wrongdoers themselves," DeKalb District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming said in a statement.

Zachary Kronenberger, a four-year officer with the DeKalb County Police Department, is accused of violating his oath by trying to bribe another officer to fix a traffic ticket. That officer reported the offer to superiors, according to police.

DeKalb police Officer Mark Maphet was charged with drunken driving and criminal damage to property stemming from an off-duty dispute over a parking spot last December, police said.

Maphet allegedly scratched a woman's car with his key, according to a police report. The report also states that Maphet left a note for the woman containing racial slurs.

Kronenberger and Maphet could not be reached for comment Monday.

Police spokesman Sgt. Charles Dedrick said the two officers are no longer on the force.

Sheriff's Deputy Jimmy Lee Butler Jr. was fired in November 2005 following an investigation by the sheriff's office. He allegedly brought drugs, tobacco and other banned items into the DeKalb County Jail.

Butler is no longer with the Sheriff's Department, said spokeswoman Mikki Jones. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

Doraville police Officer Bill E. Carty is accused of filing a false report. The indictment says Carty falsely accused a man of trying to run him over with a vehicle.

Doraville police officials did not respond to calls for comment Monday on Carty's status. Carty could not reached for comment.